Scotland’s new Energy Minister has said he is “deeply sceptical” about allowing fracking after it emerged that the petrochemical giant Ineos has moved some operations to England.

Paul Wheelhouse said the controversial shale gas extraction technique would not be permitted in Scotland unless it could be proved “beyond doubt that there is no risk to health, communities or the environment.”

The Scottish Government’s opposition appeared to harden further as it emerged that Ineos has informed ministers of a decision to redeploy fracking “resources” from Scotland to focus its efforts south of the Border.

Tom Crotty, the company’s director of corporate affairs, said that its geologists and petrochemical engineers were now "100 per cent deployed in England". He said Scotland was “missing out” on the shale gas revolution at a time when North Sea tax revenues are in decline.

Ineos, which employs around 1,300 staff in Scotland, will this year start importing shale gas from the US for its Grangemouth refinery and plant, the country’s largest industrial site. However, he argued that Scotland would benefit by developing its own “indigenous capability.”

The row over fracking intensified after North Yorkshire County Council last week approved an application by Third Energy to frack a well near the village of Kirby Misperton in Ryedale.

Fracking site at Kirby Misperton, North YorkshireCredit:
ipm / Alamy

Supporters of the technique argue that it would generate billions of pounds and thousands of jobs for the Scottish economy when growth is lagging behind the rest of the UK and unemployment is higher.

Official figures published last week showed the North Sea made a £24 million loss for the taxpayer last year, the first loss in the industry’s history.

But a spokesman for Mr Wheelhouse said: “We are deeply sceptical about fracking and have ensured that no fracking can take place in Scotland by putting in place a moratorium.

"We've also put in place a very thorough research programme and plans for a public consultation - so that any decision is based on both evidence and public opinion.

Claudia Beamish, a Labour MSP, challenged SNP ministers to go further and declare an outright ban in advance of a Scottish Government debate on the environment and climate change on Wednesday.

She tabled a parliamentary motion calling for cross-party support for the change, saying: “We are very clear - no ifs, no buts, no fracking with Labour. The SNP's temporary pause on fracking isn't good enough. Communities across Scotland want a permanent ban on fracking in Scotland."

But Mr Crotty told Scotland on Sunday and praised the North Yorkshire decision and said the firm had been clear with the Scottish Government that its delay in making a final decision on fracking was not “helpful”.

“What we said to the (Scottish) Government is that our focus is very much south of the Border now, where we know we can put planning applications in and we can start work. We think that is very bad news for Scotland,” he said.